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Toronto Irish Film Festival: Since enjoying oddly coloured pints of Guinness and wearing funny hats tend to take precedence over movie-watching on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a wise move for the Toronto Irish Film Festival to get down to business well before the parade. The fest presents its fifth annual program of cinematic wares from Ireland this weekend at TIFF Bell Lightbox, beginning with a new romantic drama that makes the most of its fetching Dublin setting. Directed by the sibling team of Rob and Ronan Burke, Standby stars Brian Gleeson — one of the two actor sons of Irish great Brendan Gleeson — as a tourist-board employee who enjoys a special night on the town with an old flame played by Mad Men’s Jessica Pare. Gleeson attends Standby’s Toronto premiere at the TIRFF on March 6 at 7 p.m. (An Sibín Pub on Queen Street East hosts the after party.)

Among the other worthies at the TIRFF is ’71, a tautly constructed thriller starring Unbroken’s Jack O’Donnell as a young British soldier stranded in very hostile territory in West Belfast. Much acclaimed at the Berlin festival and TIFF last year, Yann Demange’s film plays March 7 at 5:30 p.m. before beginning its Toronto theatrical run on March 13.

The TIRFF wraps on March 8 at 7 p.m. with the Canadian premiere of Rebuilding the World Trade Center. Belfast-born artist and photographer Marcus Robinson spent 10 years documenting the work at Ground Zero and the resulting film combines glimpses of every stage of the reconstruction with original paintings and drawings inspired by the project.

More features, docs and shorts fill out the slate during TIRFF’s three-day run March 6-8.

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Food on Film: Metro Morning host Matt Galloway and a loyal cadre of foodies all descend on Lightbox for the beginning of a new season for Food on Film this week. The program begins with an Indian theme as celebrity chef and Dragon’s Den vet Vikram Vij and his similarly illustrious partner Meeru Dhalwala provide their insights on The Lunchbox, director Ritesh Batra’s sleeper hit about two Mumbai lonely-hearts whose fates are intertwined thanks to the city’s unique lunch delivery service. The screening and talk takes place March 11 at 6:30 p.m. Future guests for the 2015 season include sommelier Jordan Salcito, James Beard winner Wylie Dufresne and his fellow Top Chef regular Jonathan Waxman.

Casablanca: It’s a familiar piece of movie trivia that nowhere in Casablanca does Humphrey Bogart utter the line “play it again, Sam,” but did you know that he doesn’t call anyone “bro” either? Weird. This is just one more thing you might learn when Michael Curtiz’s much-loved romantic thriller — the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture back in 1943 — plays Cineplex’s Classic Film Series on March 11, 15 and 16. Participating locations in the GTA include Yonge-Dundas, Queensway and Fairview Mall.

As part of TIFF Bell Lightbox’s Reel Heritage program, media archivist Christine Stewart delivers a free lecture on the whys and hows of motion-picture handling on March 6 at 11 a.m.

Iranian-American scholar Hamid Naficy provides introductions on two films in Lightbox’s month-long I for Iran series — expect smart talk about Mr. Jahi the Movie Actor (March 7 at 5 p.m.) and Still Life (March 8 at 6:30 p.m.).

The Royal presents an “UnJuno” celebration of Canuck rock cheese as captured on camera — Dave Bidini co-hosts the event on March 11 at 9 p.m.

David Hare’s adaptation of the bestselling slumdog saga by Katherine Boo, Behind the Beautiful Forevers travels from the stage of London’s National Theatre to screens at assorted Cineplex locations on March 12 at 7 p.m.

The MUFF Society’s grrl-centric monthly series at the Royal continues with Lohan, McAdams and Mean Girls on March 12 at 9:30 p.m.

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